Special Needs Homeschool Curriculum: Creating a Lesson Plan for the Learning Disabled

Are you struggling with your current homeschool curriculum? Does it seem like your special needs child is moving backward rather than forward, or perhaps not progressing at all? Perhaps you're new to the homeschool scene and simply need help creating a suitable lesson plan for your special needs child. It may be time for you to reassess your child's needs. Whatever the case may be, there are a number of avenues that homeschool parents can explore to find and create the most suitable curriculum for their unique situation.

When you teach your child at home, there opportunities are limitless. You have the freedom to teach based on your child's needs and interests. (Do always remember to check your state's guidelines for reporting and record keeping.) And particularly with a special needs homeschool curriculum, you're free to use your imagination in order to help your child grasp learning concepts in a fun and engaging way.

Before you begin your homeschooling journey, determine your goals. What do you want or need to teach? What method would your child be most receptive to? Most kids with learning disabilities respond better to an interactive learning environment, one where they can use their hands or be free to move around to express their ideas. Multi-sensory instruction is a useful tool for working with any child, but those with special learning needs often respond well to this type of instruction.

With so many options, how do you begin? First, look for ways to make the lesson plan visually appealing. Use picture books, drawings, colorful flash cards, etc. You can incorporate hands-on experiments and field trips that allow kids to 'see' what they're learning. For example, you can help your child to better understand the concept of first, middle, last or simple directions by teaching these concepts using a recipe for a favorite treat, and following the steps in the recipe.

You'll also want to implement auditory methods into the lesson so your child can 'hear' the steps while seeing them. Use a book on tape or a how-to video of the recipe. You can read aloud or even create a fun jingle so that your child can sing along with each step. See the following example, which uses repetition:

First, we gather up what we need, what we need.
Next we're gonna mix it up, mix it up.
Roll the balls of cookie dough, cookie dough.
Put them on a pan and bake 'em up, bake 'em up.
Clean up the dishes while they bake, while they bake.
When they're done, we can eat, eat, eat...eat, eat, eat."

Finally, add other sensory tools such as movement and touch. This can be done with dance, artwork, manipulatives, etc. Continuing with the recipe example: Have your child seek out the materials/ingredients with a fun scavenger hunt, while singing the jingle. Let him then mix the ingredients and feel the dough. Don't forget to have your child help with the cleanup process, as this will help reinforce social skills.

As the 'ending' nears, you can go over your child's knowledge of comprehension as the cookies bake. For instance, you can include memory games relating to the lesson using pictures and match them to words-a picture of a mixing bowl with the word mix, a picture of an oven with word bake, and so on. Have your child then put these in order from first to last. Then, give the reward of the finished product: a tasty treat.

Creating a lesson plan for children with learning disabilities need not be a challenge. By implementing a fun and engaging special needs homeschool curriculum methods, the lessons being taught become much more meaningful and will result in better memory retention.